Door lock mechanism



Nov. 24,1959 J. H. RQETHEL. 2,914,352 Y DOOR Lock MECHANISM vFiled Augpza, 1957 W /yraFA/Ex Doon LocK MECHAisusn/rV John H. Roethel, C'oral' Gables, Fla. Application August 23, 1957, serial No. 679,937r4 4 claims. (c1. 292-280) This invention relates to a latch devicel and keeper or striker device interlock construction and arrangement particularly adapted for use on vehicle bodies.

More particularly the presentv invention is concerned with the provision of an improved construction and arrangement of cooperative latch devices and keeper or striker devices adapted to effectively maintain a vehicle door in latched condition relative to a vehicle body frame or pillar member. The structure embodying the present invention comprises a latch device pivotally mounted on a latch mechanism plate in spaced relation thereto: The latch device shaft is journaled in suitable fixed bushing means rigidly secured to the plate. Journaled on the bushingmeans exteriorly thereof and located between the latch device and the latch mechanism plate is arotatable bearing means adapted to engage suitable elementsof the striker or keeper device. The latch device performs the usual function of maintaining the door in latchedv condition, that is, against swinging movement from a closed to an open position until the latch mechanism is released. The rotatable bearing means when in engagement with the striker or keeper element is effective to ensure that the latch device and the coacting portion of the keeper or striker device are in proper alignment as the door is moved from an open to a closed position and t'o support the weight of the door when in closed position.

In addition, the embodiment of the present invention illustrated herein provides against lateral disengagement of the latch device from the keeper or striker device. The conventional latch device coacting with a striker or keeper device is intended only to hold a vehicle door in closed or latched condition against swinging movement about the door hinges. However, such devices frequently fail to keep the vehicle doors securely latched under abnormal conditions, such as when the vehicle is involved in a collision or is upset. The modern vehicle body is only a relatively rigid structure. Collision or upset impacts often cause body deformation and relative movement between the vehicle parts and more particularly between the doors and door framing members. Such body deformation and relative movement between the vehicle door and framing member or body pillar may cause the latch device to be pulled away from the striker or keeper device in a direction longitudinally of the vehicle body permitting the vehicle door to ily open and the vehicle occupants to be thrown from the vehicle even though the latch mechanism itself remains in latched condition.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive improvement in a cooperating latch device and keeper device which will effectively inhibit lateral movement, that is, movement in a direction longitudinally of a vehicle body, to a degree suicient to prevent the latch device and keeper or striker device from becoming laterally disengaged. It will be understood that some degree of lateral movement must be permitted to occur since certain tolerances and clearances must be allowed in the fitting together of the vehicle body 2,914,352 Patented Nom 24, 1959 Yice components to compensate for manufacturing: inaccuracies. The present invention permits normal manufacturing tolerances and clearances to be maintainedwhile at the same time making provision for limiting the per'- missable lateral movement ofthe latch device and keeper or striker device relative to one another so that the two cannot become abnormally disengaged. Bliey, the foregoing object is accomplished by' placing a vertically extending strap member on the front face of the llatch mechanism plate. The strap member is open at the front and rear sides thereof. The striker or' keeper device is in the form of a hook-like member, the ylatter being secured to a mounting plate at the rear edge thereof and project-- ing outwardly in such a manner as to be adapted tol enter between the strap member and the latch plate from the front thereof as the door swings from an open toa closed position. The upper surface ofthe hook-like member is provided with tooth-like projections adapted to'engage the latchzdevice toV retain the door in' doorlatched condition. Adjacent the tooth-like projections, the upper surface of the hook-like member is flat and is adapted tobe engaged by a rotatable bearing means interposed' between. the latch device and the' latch mechanism plate. On the underside thereof, the hook-like member carries a slideable wedge ladapted to engage the bottom leg of the strap'- like memberon the inner'side thereof. Thus, the bearing means andthe strap coact withV the hook-like member of the striker or keeper device and the-wedge, respectively, tornaintainthe vehicle door against vibrationina vertical direction; At the same time, the hookLlikei member having been interposed betweenY the strap and the latch plate is effective to prevent suchV relative movement of the latch device and keeper or striker device as could cause the two to becomeabn'ormally disengaged;

Further objects and advantages-and the featuresiof construction embodied in therpresent invention tol attain the objects thereof will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein ylike reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several views, which' views are identifiedas follows:

Fig. l Iis a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 1 1 of Fig. 2 looking Iin the direction of the arrows and illustrating the cooperative relationship be tween the latch device and striker or keeper device, as exemplified by the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, when the latch device `is in door latched position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially through yline 2-2 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially through line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arnangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingk drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and are being practiced and carried out in various wiays. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by the way ofy example, a particular embodiment of the present invention as applied to the door and door frame structures of an automobile body. The embodiment of they invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, comprises a latch device, generally designated 10, and a striker or keeper device, generally designated 11. The latch device 16' of the present embodiment is in the form of a gear type or rotary bolt 12 having anumber of radially projecting tooth-like projections, such as six, which are spaced equally around the periphery of the latch bolt. The latch bolt 12 is pivotally mounted on the latch plate 13 by means of a pivot shaft 14 which is journalled in a fixed bushing means 15. The bushing means 15 has a main cylindrical body portion 16 provided with a shoulder 17 of slightly greater diameter and a flange 18 of somewhat larger diameter. The shoulder 17 is undercut to provide a lip portion 19. The ybushing means 15 is assembled to the plate 13 by being inserted in -a suitable aperture of a diameter complementary to the diameter of the bushing means shoulder 17. The lip portion 19 is then staked or riveted over to securely retain the bushing means 15 in place.

It will be understood that the end portion 20 of the Vpivot shaft, which is shown broken off, normally carries a ratchet member (not shown). The ratchet member in turn cooperates with the other elements of the latch mechanism whereby the latch bolt 12 may be held against rotation in doorv unlatching direction or may be released so as to be freely rotatable in door unlatching direction. The inner mechanism of the latch mechanism forms no particular part of the present invention and the foregoing brief description is deemed sufcient.

The peripheral surface of the bushing main body portion 16 provides a bearing surface for a rotatable bearing means or a roller 21. The roller 21 may be made of a suitable plastic material such as nylon or any suitable metal having good anti-friction qualities. The roller 21 illustrated is of somewhat larger diameter than the rotary bolt, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained, and is further provided with ashoulder or a spacer portion 22 adapted to maintain the roller 21 in proper spaced relation to the outer face 23 of the latch mechanism case plate 13. The shoulder portion 22 is undercut so as not to frictionally engage the staked or riveted over lip portion 19 of the bushing means 15.

In assembling the latch mechanism the bushing means 15, of course, is first staked or riveted to the case plate 13. The roller 21 is then positioned exteriorly on the bushing means 15. The pivot shaft 14, which may be integral with or riveted to the latch bolt 13, is inserted in the bushing means 15. After the ratchet plate (not shown) is positioned on the end portion 20 of the latch device shaft 14 and the end portion is staked or riveted over, the roller 21 will be trapped between the latch bolt 12 and the latch mechanism plate portion 13. After the latch bolt 12 and roller 21 have been mounted on the case plate, a vertically extending strap member 24 having an upper horizontal portion 25 and a lower angularly inclined portion 26 is secured to the front face 23 of the case plate 13. The inner face of the vertically extending portion 27 of the strap member 24 is reasonably closely spaced to the outer end of the latch bolt 12. Likewise, the upper horizontal portion 25 of the strap member 24 is reasonably close to the upper peripheral edge of the roller 21. However, the lower angularly inclined portion 26 of the strap member 24 is spaced a substantial distance below the lower peripheral edge of the roller 21, for a reason to be hereinafter explained. In the present invention, the striker or keeper device 11 comprises a plate member 28 of substantially square shape adapted to be secured to the vehicle body pillar 29 by suitable bolts 30 projecting through bolt holes 31. As best seen in Fig. 3, the sectional view of the striker or keeper device 11 taken substantially through the center thereof gives it a U- shaped appearance. This results from the fact that the striker or keeper device 11 is provided with a horizontally extending hook-like or finger-like member 32 which is spaced from the main plate portion by a rib 33, the hook-like member being connected to the plate 28 by said rib 33 at the rear thereof. The hook-like member appears to have several steps when viewed as in Fig. 2. The upper edge of the hook-like member has a stepped appearance because of the upwardly extending tooth-like projections 34 and 35. The tooth-like projections 34 and 35 are adapted to coact with the tooth-like projections 36 on the latch bolt. The underside of the hook-like member is recessed as at 37, the upper surface 38 and the rear wall 39 of the recess 37 providing a slideway for a take-up wedge 40. The wedge 40 may be made of pressed metal containing a suitable lubricant or may be made of a suitable plastic composition material. In preferred practice the plastic is nylon. The wedge 40 is supported in sliding relation to the surfaces 38 and 39 by a guide rod 41 which extends through the wedge 40 and has its inner end suitably anchored in the rib portion 33 and its outer end anchored in the leg portion 42 of a small angle iron section 43 riveted to the inner face of the hook-like member by a rivet 44. To resiliently urge the wedge 40 in an outward direction along its guiding surfaces a coiled spring 45 is provided, the spring 45 surrounding the inner end portion of the guide rod with one end abutting the inner wall of the recess 37 and the other end lying in a recess or counterbore 46 in the wedge 40.

When the door is closed, the slidable take up wedge 40 has cooperative engagement with the upper surface of the angularly inclined portion 26 of the strap member 24. The effect of this cooperative engagement will be explained later. In operation, when the vehicle door is in an unlatched condition, the latch device 10 is in a position in which it is disassociated from the striker or keeper device 11. It will be noted that the leading edge of the hook-like member is in the form of an upwardly inclined ramp 47. In the event that the door has sagged about its hinges for any reason, the roller 21 acting through the bushing means 15 secured to the latch plate 13, the latter being secured to the free edge of the wall 48 of the door, will cause the door to be lifted to properly align the rotary bolt 12 with the striker or keeper teeth 34 and 35. The tooth 34 provides a safety locking tooth and even if further closing movement of the door ceases, the door will be held by the tooth 34 against movement in an opening direction until the latching mechanism is released. However, the door will not be held against vertical vibratory movement.

When the vehicle door is completely in a closed position, the roller 21 will lie on the upper surface of the striker or keeper device 11 hook-like member 32 at the same time that the wedge 40 engages the inner surface of the angularly inclined portion 26 of the strap member 24. In effect, the striker or keeper device hook-like member 32 will be trapped between the roller 21 and the angular portion 26 of the strap 24 thereby preventing any possibility of movement of the door in a vertical direction due to vibrations occurring while the vehicle is in' motion. Any such vertical movement would be of an insignificant and very minor magnitude. In the nal closed position of the vehicle door, the rotary bolt 12 is in engagement with the final locking tooth 35 of the keeper or striker device 11. 1t will be noted that the hook-like member 32 in final locking position of the latch bolt 12 completely projects through the strap member 24 from rear to front. Thus, the present invention provides a safety interlock between the member 24 secured to the latch plate and the striker or keeper device 11. Any force tending to separate the door from the body pillar 29 in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the latch bolt 12 will be resisted by the engagement of the hook-like member 32 inner face with the adjacent face of the strap member 24. Except for the limited movement permitted by the lateral clearance between the striker or keeper device member 32 and the strap member 24, the latch bolt 12 cannot move sufficiently to permit it to become laterally disengaged from the striker or keeper teeth 34 and 35. The only way the latch bolt 12 may be released from engagement with the striker or keeper device is by normal operation of the latch mechanism to permit free rotation of the latch bolt.

I claim:

1. In combination, a rotatable latch device mounted on the free edge wall of a swinging door, said latch device having tooth-like projections thereon, a keeper device mounted on the jamb face of a door framing member, said keeper device being provided with a mounting plate portion and a spaced portion substantially paralleling said plate portion, said spaced portion being provided with projections thereon forming tooth spaces to receive said tooth-like projections, a strap means, means mounting said strap means on said free edge wall of the door, said strap means having a plate portion, said strap means plate portion being adapted when said latch device tooth-like projections are received within said tooth spaces to be interposed between said keeper device plate portion and its said spaced portion, said keeper device spaced portion and strap means plate portion coacting to prevent such lateral displacement of said projections relative to one another as would cause said projections to become disengaged, `and movable wedge means mounted on said spaced portion engageable with a portion of said strap means to prevent up and down vibratory movement of said latch device and keeper device when said latch device tooth-like projections are received within said tooth spaces, said spaced portion projections and said wedge means having a common wall 0f said spaced portion interposed therebetween.

2. In combination, a latch mechanism including a support secured to a swinging door, and a keeper device, said latch mechanism having a bolt structure having tooth projections thereon, shaft means rotatably journalling said bolt structure on said support, roller means carried by said shaft means and interposed between said bolt structure and said support, a strap member secured to said support and having a plate portion position adjacent the outer face of said bolt, said keeper device having a rst portion adapted to be secured to a door pillar and a parallelly extending second portion supported thereon in spaced relation, said second portion having projections forming tooth spaces to receive said tooth projections to releasably retain said door in closed relation to said door pillar, said strap member plate portion lying in the space between said keeper device portions when said tooth projections are received within said tooth spaces, said strap vmember and keeper device coacting to prevent movement of the latch mechanism relative to the keeper device in a direction laterally of the direction in which the two are normally relatively moved to cause said tooth projections to mesh with said keeper device projections, thereby preventing lateral disengagement of the tooth projections from the keeper device projections, said roller means being in engagement with the upper surface of said keeper device second portion to support the vehicle door to properly align the tooth projections with the tooth spaces.

3. In combination, a latch mechanism including a support secured to a swinging door, and a keeper device, said latch mechanism having a bolt structure having tooth projections thereon, shaft means rotatably journalling said bolt structure on said support, roller means carried by said shaft means and interposed between said bolt structure and said support, a strap member secured to said support and having a plate portion positioned adjacent the outer face of said bolt, said keeper device having a rst portion adapted to be secured to a door pillar and a parallelly extending second portion supported thereon in spaced relation, said second portion having projections forming tooth spaces to receive said tooth projections to releasably retain said door in closed relation to said door pillar, said strap member plate portion lying in the space between said keeper device portions when said tooth projections are received within said tooth spaces, said strap member and keeper device coacting to prevent movement of the latch mechanism relative to the keeper device in a direction laterally of the direction in which the two are normally relatively moved to cause said tooth projections to mesh with said keeper device projections, thereby preventing lateral disengagement of the tooth projections from the keeper device projections, said roller means being in engagement with the upper surface of said keeper device second portion to support the vehicle door to properly align the tooth projections with the tooth spaces, and movabie wedge means slidably mounted on the under surface of said keeper device second portion, said wedge means being engageable with of a portion of said strap means to prevent up and down vibratory movement of said latch device and keeper device when said tooth projections are received within said tooth spaces.

4. In combination, a rotatable latch device mounted on the free edge wall of a swinging door, said latch device having tooth-like projections thereon, a keeper device mounted on the jamb face of a door framing member, said keeper device being provided with a mounting plate portion and a spaced portion substantially paralleling said plate portion, said spaced portion being provided with projections extending upwardly therefrom, said projections forming tooth spaces to receive said tooth-like projections, a strap means, means mounting said strap means on said free edge wall of the door, said strap means having a plate portion, said strap means plate portion being adapted when said latch device tooth-like projections are received within said tooth spaces to be interposed between said keeper device plate portion and its said spaced portion, said keeper device spaced portion and strap means plate portion coacting to prevent such lateral displacement of said projections relative to one another as would cause said projections to become disengaged, said spaced portion being provided with a downwardly opening recess beneath its tooth-like projections, a wedge means, and means movably mounting said Wedge means within said recess, said wedge means being engageable with a portion of said strap means to prevent up and down vibratory movement of said latch device and keeper device when said latch device toothlike projections are received within said tooth spaces.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,100,591 Haberstump Nov. 30, 1937 2,828,996 Angelo Apr. l, 1958 2,854,276 Svenson Sept. 30, 1958 

